]]>As Trump’s trade war intensifies, voters across the country are reading about the tariffs’ brutal effects on farmers, manufacturers, and small businesses — and they’re seeing Republican candidates fail to stand up to Trump’s reckless policies.

In Kentucky, WHAS News reports, “Soybean farmers in Indiana and Kentucky could earn hundreds of millions of dollars less this year if prices do not rebound soon.”

Subject: Republican Candidates Side With Trump as the Trade War Punishes Key Midterm Voters

President Trump’s reckless trade war is slamming American farmers, workers, and manufacturers in battleground states and congressional districts with lower profits and higher costs — and Republican candidates are refusing to fight for them. From Florida to Montana, Republican candidates are betraying their constituents as the Trump administration’s reckless trade war goes on unabated — killing jobs, squeezing small businesses, and driving up taxes on American consumers.

This memo is part of American Bridge’s new accountability campaign, #TradeWarWatch. In the coming months before Election Day, American Bridge will be holding Republican candidates accountable for failing to stand up to Trump’s trade war. To learn more about this effort, visit TradeWarWatch.com.

Here’s what you need to know about how Donald Trump’s trade war is affecting key midterm voters — and how Republican candidates have no [...]

Subject: Republican Candidates Side With Trump as the Trade War Punishes Key Midterm Voters

President Trump’s reckless trade war is slamming American farmers, workers, and manufacturers in battleground states and congressional districts with lower profits and higher costs — and Republican candidates are refusing to fight for them. From Florida to Montana, Republican candidates are betraying their constituents as the Trump administration’s reckless trade war goes on unabated — killing jobs, squeezing small businesses, and driving up taxes on American consumers.

This memo is part of American Bridge’s new accountability campaign, #TradeWarWatch. In the coming months before Election Day, American Bridge will be holding Republican candidates accountable for failing to stand up to Trump’s trade war. To learn more about this effort, visit TradeWarWatch.com.

Here’s what you need to know about how Donald Trump’s trade war is affecting key midterm voters — and how Republican candidates have no campaign strategy on this issue.

1. Donald Trump’s reckless trade policy is already hurting voters in key midterm states and districts, and Republican candidates are failing to stand up for their local economies. Local reporting from across the country has highlighted the damage done to farmers, manufacturers, and small businesses in numerous states. Meanwhile, it’s dodges and crickets from GOP candidates.

In North Dakota, soybeans —the state’s largest export — are getting hit hard. Soybean farmers have already seen a 20% loss in income. Farmer Craig Olson said last month, “Soybeans are being used as a tool, and it’s affecting us in a negative way.”

In California, dairy farmers are facing enormous new threats because of the trade war. Annie AcMoody with Western United Dairymen said that “A lot of farms have been hanging on by a thread in California, hoping for a price increase,” and warned that the tariffs they are facing will put “more dairies out of business.”

In Missouri, the country’s largest nail maker cut 60 jobs because of increased steel prices. Mid-Continent Nail in Poplar Bluff, Missouri is facing closure by Labor Day if the trade war continues.

In Montana, “trade uncertainties are sowing havoc in farmers’ financial planning.” $20 million in Montana exports and over 140,000 Montana jobs are threatened by a trade war.

In Kentucky, new tariffs are taking a toll on iconic bourbon makers by impeding their ability to export.

In Indiana, “many farmers worry they may be on the front lines of this trade war.” One Indiana pig farmer says pressure from the tariffs has already resulted in a $3,000 per week loss in income. A Ball State University economist says the trade war could cost Indiana 6,000 jobs by 2019.

In Wisconsin, cheese makers and dairy producers are “already hurting” thanks to Trump’s trade war, while Wisconsin-based Harley Davidson has announced it will move some manufacturing jobs overseas.

In New Mexico, home builders are being “hammered” by the increased cost of lumber, which is especially hurting small home building companies.

In Tennessee, hog farmer Jimmy Tosh says he is “very, very, very concerned” by the “tariff situation” and how it might affect the price of his products. $1.4 billion in Tennessee exports are threatened by Trump’s trade war.

2. While Americans suffer, Republicans bluster. Local and national media reports analyzed by American Bridge reveal a pattern: Republican House and Senate candidates in states hit hard by Trump’s reckless trade war are standing with Trump at the expense of their voters. They’re unprepared, fumbling easy questions, and failing to articulate any coherent position on Trump’s reckless trade war because for these candidates, party loyalty comes first. They have neither a political strategy to help themselves, nor cogent policy solutions to help suffering constituents.

Kevin Cramer (R-ND), on Trump’s prolonged trade negotiations: “Trump keeps impressing upon us that the longer we can negotiate, the better the deal will be…If we would be backing him in these negotiations, these negotiations would get done a lot sooner…We want to reassure him that we are supportive of his goals.”

Matt Rosendale (R-MT) leaned fully into Trump’s trade war after a visit from the President:“You know something, we feel the same way that the President does…we got somebody in Matt Rosendale that’s going to help the President pursue and achieve these good policies that are expanding our economy and protecting our nation.”

Josh Hawley (R-MO) said in April“The President is right to focus on the fact that our trade partners ought to actually obey the rules and he’s right to say that China and other countries like that, that are violating our rules with impunity.” In June, he said, “I think[Trump is] on the right track.”

Andy Barr (KY-6) in April said,“Well, I think what you’ll see is the President asserting a very strong position, a new strong position against China,” praising the fact that “tariffs are in place now.”

Yvette Herrell (NM-2), the Republican nominee in New Mexico’s 2nd congressional district, endorsed Trump’s trade war, telling the Albuquerque Journal, “Yes, I support the President’s action on tariffs as it relates to China.”

Devin Nunes (CA-22) told Fox Business in March, “Let’s remember – every president has said that they’re going to get tough on people who cheat on trade. This President is actually doing it.”

Dave Brat (VA-7) admitted that the trade war would do damage to the U.S. economy, saying to the Washington Examiner, “Well economically, you’re going to have a loss,” but still defended the tariffs.

Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48-22) claimed in a May interview with Fox Business Network that “the only difference now is we have a President who is actually standing up for what’s right for our people, rather than some global vision of harmony that we’ve had with Obama and actually some of the Republicans before that.”

Leah Vukmir (R-WI) is also placing her faith in Trump’s negotiating skills: “President Trump got elected in large part because people know he is a negotiator—The Art of the Deal, he wrote the book. I am willing to give them an opportunity to create fairer deals for our country…I will give him the benefit of the doubt because the one thing we know is that he is a good negotiator.”

Conclusion: Republicans are failing to protect their constituents — just like they failed on healthcare and taxes. Across the country people are hurting because of Trump’s trade war, facing lower revenues for their goods but higher prices on what they need to buy. Rather than stand up for American profits and paychecks, Republicans are backing President Trump’s reckless trade war. This cowardice fits a pattern: in 2017, Republican candidates failed to fight for their constituents’ right to affordable healthcare, opting instead to back their party’s plan to strip healthcare from tens of millions of Americans. Later in 2017, Republicans passed a tax cut that overwhelmingly benefits the very wealthy, while raising taxes on the middle class.

Now, with Election Day approaching, Republicans are again putting partisan politics over the people they seek to represent. Their message is clear: on the issues that affect Americans’ everyday lives — from healthcare to taxes to jobs and wages — Republicans will always put themselves and their special-interest backers ahead of voters. As the American people face the consequences, count on progressives to hold them accountable.

Today American Bridge is launching Trade War Watch, a campaign to hold Republicans accountable for failing to stand up against Trump’s reckless trade policy as the trade war slams states and districts across the country.

Trade War Watch will use a multi-pronged approach to spotlight the damage Trump’s trade war has done to communities across the country and highlight GOP candidates who have endorsed and enabled these reckless policies:

1. This morning American Bridge released a strategic memo on the impact of Trump’s trade waron the 2018 midterm elections. Click here to read the memo.

2. Today, American Bridge is also launching an inaugural digital ad campaign highlighting individual Republicans who are failing to stand up for their constituents. Trade War Watch’s first targets are Missouri Senate candidate Josh Hawley (ad here) and Kentucky Congressman Andy Barr (ad here).

3. American Bridge has launched TradeWarWatch.com, a real-time clearinghouse of state and local media clips and news coverage of the real life impact of Trump’s trade war. TradeWarWatch.com willserve as an information hub for progressives across [...]

Today American Bridge is launching Trade War Watch, a campaign to hold Republicans accountable for failing to stand up against Trump’s reckless trade policy as the trade war slams states and districts across the country.

TradeWarWatchwill use a multi-pronged approach to spotlight the damage Trump’s tradewar has done to communities across the country and highlight GOP candidates who have endorsed and enabled these reckless policies:

1. This morning AmericanBridge released a strategic memo on the impact of Trump’s tradewaron the 2018 midterm elections. Click here to read the memo.

3. AmericanBridge has launched TradeWarWatch.com, a real-time clearinghouse of state and local media clips and news coverage of the real life impact of Trump’s tradewar. TradeWarWatch.com willserve as an information hub for progressives across the country.

In the months before Election Day, AmericanBridge’s TradeWarWatchwill continue the drumbeat of accountability with candidate-specific digital ads, a weekly email newsletter, and daily updates to the website’s collection of tradewar coverage.

“Republican candidates have effectively abandoned the voters they are campaigning to represent — standing by Trump’s disastrous tradewar as farmers, manufacturers, and small businesses in their communities are hurt. TradeWarWatchwill keep a running tab of the casualties of the tradewar to make clear to voters that Republicans are not on their side,” said AmericanBridge spokesperson Amelia Penniman.

Even though family farms, manufacturing, and thousands of Missouri jobs are at risk — including a nail factory that employs 500 people — Josh Hawley has failed to endorse a single plan to protect Missourians from the escalating costs of this trade war.

As those costs grow, American Bridge’s Trade War Watch campaign is launching a new digital ad, “Josh Hawley Turned His Back On Missouri,” blasting Hawley for his weak response to the economic pain being felt by people who thought they could count on him.

In a recent radio interview, Hawley said he supported Trump’s reckless tariffs: “So my view on this is I support his goals… I think the president’s doing the right thing.”

“The reckless trade war that Josh Hawley welcomed is now pounding Missouri, and despite mounting costs, he won’t lift a finger for the people whose livelihoods are under attack,” said American Bridge spokesperson Joshua Karp. “This cowardly inaction is not something that [...]

Even though family farms, manufacturing, and thousands of Missouri jobs are at risk — including a nail factory that employs 500 people — JoshHawley has failed to endorse a single plan to protect Missourians from the escalating costs of this tradewar.

As those costs grow, American Bridge’s TradeWar Watch campaign is launching a new digital ad, “JoshHawley Turned His Back On Missouri,” blasting Hawley for his weak response to the economic pain being felt by people who thought they could count on him.

In a recent radio interview, Hawley said he supported Trump’s reckless tariffs: “So my view on this is I support his goals… I think the president’s doing the right thing.”

“The reckless tradewar that JoshHawley welcomed is now pounding Missouri, and despite mounting costs, he won’t lift a finger for the people whose livelihoods are under attack,” said American Bridge spokesperson Joshua Karp. “This cowardly inaction is not something that Missourians afford, and it’s time for Hawley to admit he was wrong and stop turning his back on his constituents.”

]]>http://bridgeproject.com/new-ad-slams-josh-hawley-applauding-trade-war-thats-devastating-missouris-economy/feed/0American Bridge Releases Groundbreaking Polling on #MeToo, Millennials, and Reproductive Rightshttp://bridgeproject.com/american-bridge-releases-groundbreaking-polling-metoo-millennials-reproductive-rights/
http://bridgeproject.com/american-bridge-releases-groundbreaking-polling-metoo-millennials-reproductive-rights/#respondThu, 29 Mar 2018 19:08:39 +0000http://bridgeproject.com/?p=4448Today American Bridge’s Women’s Rights Initiative released groundbreaking polling results on how the #MeToo movement and reproductive freedom are driving historic voter enthusiasm and political engagement. You can read the full memo HERE.

Key findings included:

#MeToo is viewed positively and motivating women to vote. Sixty-three percent of voters agree that the #Metoo movement has empowered women and girls. This is especially high among Millennial and African-American women.
Reproductive freedom is a top voter value in 2018. Seventy-five percent of voters, including 84 percent of Millennial women, strongly agree that everyone must have the freedom to decide whether and when to become a parent. American voters remains staunchly pro-choice at 52 percent, with even higher numbers among Millennial women and African-American women.
Enthusiasm is spreading “virally” through Millennial voters motivated by #MeToo and reproductive freedom. The Trump effect has created a surge in voters’ support for reproductive rights, and across all demographics, a [...]

Today American Bridge’s Women’s Rights Initiative released groundbreaking polling results on how the #MeToo movement and reproductive freedom are driving historic voter enthusiasm and political engagement. You can read the full memo HERE.

Key findings included:

#MeToo is viewed positively and motivating women to vote. Sixty-three percent of voters agree that the #Metoo movement has empowered women and girls. This is especially high among Millennial and African-American women.

Reproductive freedom is a top voter value in 2018. Seventy-five percent of voters, including 84 percent of Millennial women, strongly agree that everyone must have the freedom to decide whether and when to become a parent. American voters remains staunchly pro-choice at 52 percent, with even higher numbers among Millennial women and African-American women.

Enthusiasm is spreading “virally” through Millennial voters motivated by #MeToo and reproductive freedom. The Trump effect has created a surge in voters’ support for reproductive rights, and across all demographics, a majority of women are very likely to encourage friends and family to vote – including 73 percent of African-American women, 53 percent of Latinas, and 55 percent of Millennial women.

“This research confirms that we’re experiencing a powerful, lasting movement across the country,” said Dawn Huckelbridge, director of American Bridge’s Women’s Rights Initiative. “Women, particularly Millennial women and women of color, are a strong voting bloc, and the attacks on women – from sexual harassment and assault to denying access to reproductive health care – aren’t going unnoticed. In fact, it’s building the resistance.”

Lake Research Partners designed and conducted the nationwide survey of likely 2018 voters for American Bridge.

“Just hours after voters in Pennsylvania rejected Trump economics, Donald Trump is doubling-down on an agenda that sells-out the American middle class in order to further help the richest taxpayers. Larry Kudlow believes Medicare and Social Security are ‘bad ideas,’ supports tax breaks for companies that send American jobs overseas, opposes the existence of a minimum wage, dismissed the gender pay gap as ‘nonsense,’ and wants to eliminate the Department of Labor.

“Kudlow will not deliver the economic changes Americans need as the deficit skyrockets and healthcare costs rise because of Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy. His fringe beliefs are perfect for Trump but wrong for the country.”

]]>American Bridge spokesperson Andrew Bates released the following statement after Larry Kudlow accepted Donald Trump’s offer to succeed Gary Cohn as director of the National Economic Council:

“Just hours after voters in Pennsylvania rejected Trump economics, Donald Trump is doubling-down on an agenda that sells-out the American middle class in order to further help the richest taxpayers. Larry Kudlow believes Medicare and Social Security are ‘bad ideas,’ supports tax breaks for companies that send American jobs overseas, opposes the existence of a minimum wage, dismissed the gender pay gap as ‘nonsense,’ and wants to eliminate the Department of Labor.

“Kudlow will not deliver the economic changes Americans need as the deficit skyrockets and healthcare costs rise because of Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy. His fringe beliefs are perfect for Trump but wrong for the country.”

]]>http://bridgeproject.com/4435-2/feed/0David Brock: Cohen Admission Increases Legal Problems Surrounding The Stormy Daniels Payoffhttp://bridgeproject.com/david-brock-cohen-admission-increases-legal-problems-surrounding-stormy-daniels-payoff/
http://bridgeproject.com/david-brock-cohen-admission-increases-legal-problems-surrounding-stormy-daniels-payoff/#respondWed, 14 Feb 2018 20:25:31 +0000http://bridgeproject.com/?p=4433American Bridge founder and Chairman David Brock released the following statement in response to Michael Cohen admitting he paid Stephanie Clifford, stage name Stormy Daniels, $130,000 to keep quiet about an affair she had with Trump. Brock reiterated his call for an investigation into the seemingly illegal payment:

“Like I said on Monday, there must be an investigation of these allegations, even more so now that Michael Cohen has essentially confessed. The last time something similar happened, John Edwards was indicted, and it’s not a stretch to say that this looks like the same thing.

“If Cohen cut a check that amounted to an illegal contribution, he and the President must be held accountable.”

]]>American Bridge founder and Chairman David Brock released the following statement in response to Michael Cohen admitting he paid Stephanie Clifford, stage name Stormy Daniels, $130,000 to keep quiet about an affair she had with Trump. Brock reiterated his call for an investigation into the seemingly illegal payment:

“Like I said on Monday, there must be an investigation of these allegations, even more so now that Michael Cohen has essentially confessed. The last time something similar happened, John Edwards was indicted, and it’s not a stretch to say that this looks like the same thing.

“If Cohen cut a check that amounted to an illegal contribution, he and the President must be held accountable.”

On MondayNBC published an op-ed from Brock outlining the need for an investigation of the matter by the FEC. That same morning, American Bridge filed a complaint with the commission requesting such an investigation, noting that “if [the payment was] made by an individual other than Mr. Trump, the contribution was made by that individual and received by the Committee in violation of the $2,700 per election contribution limit…. And, since it appears that Respondents may have knowingly and willfully received and then expended $130,000 in violation of the Act, they could be subject to fines and imprisonment of up to 5 years.”

American Bridge is exploring all options to force action on this issue and expects to file follow up legal action this week.

]]>http://bridgeproject.com/david-brock-cohen-admission-increases-legal-problems-surrounding-stormy-daniels-payoff/feed/0Bridge Project Statement on Sen. Rubio’s Family Leave Plan and the Independent Women’s Forumhttp://bridgeproject.com/bridge-project-statement-sen-rubios-family-leave-plan-independent-womens-forum/
http://bridgeproject.com/bridge-project-statement-sen-rubios-family-leave-plan-independent-womens-forum/#respondWed, 07 Feb 2018 21:29:04 +0000http://bridgeproject.com/?p=4426This week Senator Marco Rubio claimed that he is working with Ivanka Trump on a paid family leave plan, something long overdue and desperately needed by American working families. However, early reporting indicates that the plan is actually just an ability to draw from Social Security and is based on policies touted by the Independent Women’s Forum, a right-wing interest group with ties to the Koch brothers.

“Senator Rubio and Ivanka Trump’s proposal for a so-called ‘budget-neutral’ family leave plan is not paid family leave at all, but rather a cut to Social Security that will particularly hurt low-income women,” said Dawn Huckelbridge, director of American Bridge’s Women’s Rights Initiative. “Women already receive less in earnings and Social Security benefits than men and are more likely to experience poverty, including in retirement. This is not a comprehensive fix for working families, but another hollow proposal that does not serve the women [...]

]]>This week Senator Marco Rubio claimed that he is working with Ivanka Trump on a paid family leave plan, something long overdue and desperately needed by American working families. However, early reporting indicates that the plan is actually just an ability to draw from Social Security and is based on policies touted by the Independent Women’s Forum, a right-wing interest group with ties to the Koch brothers.

“Senator Rubio and Ivanka Trump’s proposal for a so-called ‘budget-neutral’ family leave plan is not paid family leave at all, but rather a cut to Social Security that will particularly hurt low-income women,” said Dawn Huckelbridge, director of American Bridge’s Women’s Rights Initiative. “Women already receive less in earnings and Social Security benefits than men and are more likely to experience poverty, including in retirement. This is not a comprehensive fix for working families, but another hollow proposal that does not serve the women and families who need it most.

The plan came from a right-wing organization that grew out of an effort to defend Clarence Thomas from sexual harassment charges, is closely tied to the Koch brothers, and has gone on to deny the wage gap and the idea that the workplace is in any way unfair to women. It’s another indication of how extreme, out of touch, and anti-woman this administration is.”

]]>http://bridgeproject.com/bridge-project-statement-sen-rubios-family-leave-plan-independent-womens-forum/feed/0Bridge Project Statement on Senate Abortion Ban Votehttp://bridgeproject.com/bridge-project-statement-senate-abortion-ban-vote/
http://bridgeproject.com/bridge-project-statement-senate-abortion-ban-vote/#respondMon, 29 Jan 2018 23:30:59 +0000http://bridgeproject.com/?p=4422Dawn Huckelbridge, director of American Bridge’s Women’s Rights Initiative, released the following statement in response to the US Senate’s vote on a bill that would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy and threaten doctors with jail time:

“Once again GOP leaders used women’s lives for political pandering by scheduling a vote on an unconstitutional abortion ban that would criminalize doctors and make no exception for the health of the mother. These kinds of bans are unpopular, scientifically unsound, and dangerously out of touch with the American people. Americans on both sides of the aisle have made it clear that this is not something Congress should be prioritizing. These complex and intensely personal decisions should stay in the hands of women in consultation with their doctors, not politicians — and voters agree.”

Dawn Huckelbridge, director of American Bridge’s Women’s Rights Initiative, released the following statement in response to the US Senate’s vote on a bill that would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy and threaten doctors with jail time:

“Once again GOP leaders used women’s lives for political pandering by scheduling a vote on an unconstitutional abortion ban that would criminalize doctors and make no exception for the health of the mother. These kinds of bans are unpopular, scientifically unsound, and dangerously out of touch with the American people. Americans on both sides of the aisle have made it clear that this is not something Congress should be prioritizing. These complex and intensely personal decisions should stay in the hands of women in consultation with their doctors, not politicians — and voters agree.”